Surface characteristics

Through SEM analysis and CFU counts, it was demonstrated that, except for the Er:YAG laser, decontamination of the machined surface implant was easier than that of the rough surface implant regardless of decontamination method. Gauze soaked in saline and the ultrasonic scaler demonstrated a statistically significant difference in CFU counts between the two surfaces. In this context, a machined surface implant may be advantageous for recovering biocompatibility after cleansing the contaminated implant surface. In a randomized controlled trial, Carcuac et al. [6] demonstrated greater treatment success in a machined surface implant group than a modified surface implant group. The present study may support this clinical result, and the application of gauze soaked in saline may be regarded as a gold standard technique to cleanse a machined surface implant.

In the present ex vivo experimental study, none of the tested decontamination methods thoroughly eliminated biofilms formed on rough/machined surface implants intraorally. Gauze soaked in saline and the rotary stainless steel instrument showed better cleansability than the ultrasonic scaler in qualitative and quantitative analyses and may be advantageous for cleansing contaminated implant surfaces. Additionally, except for the Er:YAG laser, each of the tested decontamination methods appeared to be more effective on machined surface implants than rough surface implants in terms of reducing biofilms qualitatively and quantitatively. Research on the optimum combination of different cleansing methods that compensate for each method’s respective downsides is urgently required. Further research is needed to elucidate the most effective method to cleanse contaminated implant surfaces.